What a twist! The loser heroine!

Because of the distance, Wen Shui couldn't hear their conversation. Of course, he had no intention of eavesdropping.

However, recalling Ji Gong's inexplicable words "You pass," he shook his head helplessly.

Is this some new friend game? What level did I pass?

Just as he was lost in thought, Chihaya Asahi seemed unwilling to disturb Himegami and Hanami's enjoyment, so she quietly left their side and stood with Onami.

"Chaoyun-kun?"

Wen Shui glanced at Chao Yun beside her with some surprise.

"Hehe, I came to Wenshui's place to avoid the limelight for now because I didn't want to bother them." Asahi smiled and looked at Himegami and Hanami, who were acting very intimately: "Those two are really good friends."

"You and Princess Hime are also very close."

"That's true, I shouldn't be jealous of others..."

She said it as if it were unintentional.

"This one……"

Wen Shui looked worried; he was concerned about Chao Yun's feelings.

"It was my fault, I shouldn't have brought this up. Let's talk about something else."

Seemingly sensing Wen Shui's thoughts, Chao Yun quickly changed the subject: "Thank you for your help before, Wen Shui."

"No need to thank me, I already said that before."

This time, Chaoyun did not accept Wenshui's polite words: "No, I am grateful that Wenshui stayed with me back then."

【Huh? What kind of comment is this??】

Wen Shui quickly explained, "Ah, I was a little worried about your safety at the time, so... and also, Yanami-kun—"

"Yes, I know that Banami-kun is here too."

Chao Yun looked at the somewhat flustered Wen Shui and chuckled softly:

"Heh, humans really are strange creatures..."

"Ugh?"

Wen Shui didn't understand why Asahi Chihaya would say such a thing.

So Asahi explained softly, "When I heard Ayano reject me, actually... my heart ached, and I wanted to cry, but no tears came out—"

She lowered her head, paused for a long time, and then continued, "I... I thought I could hold back, until I opened my eyes and saw you."

Wen Shui suddenly understood. So this was what Ji Gong meant when she said that comforting someone could have the opposite effect?

It seems I'm the one who made Chaoyun cry so much.

He quickly whispered:

"Feel sorry."

"Huh? I wasn't blaming Wen Shui, was I?" Chao Yun looked up and glanced at Wen Shui's expression with some surprise.

"Is that so?"

Looking at the somewhat bewildered lukewarm water, Chao Yun chuckled.

She smiled the most genuine and happiest smile she had shown all day. Between laughs, she said haltingly, "Wen Shui... classmate, you, you really are exactly as Hua Lian said...."

Upon hearing this, Wen Shui immediately turned around in confusion and glanced at Himegami Karen, who was still whispering to Hanami not far away. She was quite puzzled.

How exactly did Princess Himeko describe me?

Noticing Wen Shui's gaze, Himegami Karen immediately turned to look at him.

This time, Himegami's gaze seemed a little off, making Wen Shui somewhat nervous.

Everyone's acting strange today.

He gave an awkward laugh, then deliberately avoided Himegami's gaze and focused his attention on Futakawa Station not far away.

We're almost at our destination.

◇

Concerned for Chihaya Asahi's safety, the three of them, with her consent, took her home together.

"My little girl has really troubled everyone today."

A woman who looked very cultured, wearing glasses and with her long hair tied up, stood in the entrance hall and bowed to Wen Shui and the other two along with Chao Yun: "This child left without saying goodbye, which makes me a little worried."

"It's alright, it's just—" Himegami Karen hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I hope Auntie won't blame Chihaya. Actually, there was a reason for what happened today."

Chaoyun's mother shook her head, gently stroking her daughter's long hair: "I understand things about young people, so don't worry."

"Well... that's good then. We won't bother you any longer." Himeko nodded and said softly, "Goodbye, Auntie."

"Be careful on the road."

The three of them then left Chaoyun's house.

Ten minutes later, at the bus stop where there were only two people.

Watching Hanami leave on another bus, Himegami Karen sat down abruptly, stretching out with a big yawn, perfectly displaying her stunning curves.

"Oh dear, today was really tiring!" She stretched her limbs deliberately and said in a slightly lazy tone.

Unblinking eyes—

Ahem, after calming himself down by staring intently at the billboards across the street, Wen Shuiheyan continued, "Yeah... it really is tiring."

A lot has happened.

Himegami Karen glanced at the unresponsive Onami and continued, "After what happened today, Lemon should be officially dating Ayano-san now, right?"

"Probably so."

Wen Shui seemed to have thought of something and chuckled softly: "Before seeing Asahi, I always hoped that the two of them could become a couple."

"Unexpectedly, this coincidence led her to indirectly achieve her wish."

Upon hearing this, Himegami straightened her back instantly. She leaned closer, trying to keep her voice steady, and then asked in a low voice:

"Oh right, what a coincidence! How come you and Anzu are together today?"

There's a reason for that.

Wen Shui quickened her pace slightly as she briefly recounted how she had followed Chao Yun that day out of concern that he might do something foolish, how she had run into Banami, and how they had tracked Chao Yun to the Audiovisual Education Center.

Of course, he didn't mention a word about how Banami had triggered her intuition, left her companions, and then, because of that intuition, asked him to stay by her side and wait.

After all, intuition is Hanami's superpower, and it has some rather unsettling connections with Himegami. He doesn't want his slip of the tongue to ruin their friendship.

【Huh? But then again, why did I have to go into such detail?】

He paused for a moment, took out a bottle of mineral water from his fanny pack, took a sip, and moistened his throat. After thinking for a while without figuring it out, Wen Shui simply gave up trying.

Himegami Karen pondered for a while before she could process all this information.

"You mean, while you were trying to prevent Chihaya from doing something foolish, you bumped into Anzu, who was out alone, at the restaurant?"

"Yes."

"Is it tasty?"

"Well, it's pretty good."

"That's great! I want to go eat there too."

As Himegami said this, she glanced at Wen Shui seemingly unintentionally, but the blockhead simply nodded: "But it looks quite expensive on the menu, so be careful with your wallet."

"I wasn't concerned about the money!"

Princess Hime was nearly driven mad by him, but to ensure her survival, she had no choice but to continue:

"Then Chihaya went with Ayano and Lemon, while you and Anja, who went out alone, went with Chihaya to the underground resource center and the audiovisual education center?"

"Yes, and I don't need to mention going out alone again."

"Oh, do you think warm water is fun?"

"We didn't dare to play, but Ayano and the other two seemed to be having a lot of fun."

"That sounds great! I'd like to find someone to hang out with too. How about the weekend after the midterms?"

"The underground resource center will be closed for maintenance next weekend."

Himegami Karen clicked her tongue softly, then suddenly asked, "And then you and Anjana witnessed Asagum... being dumped?"

"It wouldn't be considered dumping, would it? After all, Chaoyun never formally confessed her feelings from beginning to end."

“That’s great—”

"There's no need to be envious of that!"

Wen Shui quickly interrupted her.

[Does this girl want Chaoyun to lose a few more times? Is she even Chaoyun's friend?]

Himegami Karen seemed to realize her slip of the tongue. Her face flushed slightly, she puffed out her cheeks angrily, and glared at Onami.

"Huh? What's wrong? Why are you suddenly glaring at me?"

"But Xingcai said she came to the zoo with her middle school classmates. Warm water?"

Wen Shui's eyes widened immediately.

[We forgot to coordinate our statements! !!!]

"Oh dear, this... um, that..."

Himegami Karen stared at the stammering Wen Shui with an oppressive gaze for a while before suddenly looking away.

"Never mind, maybe Xingcai has her own ideas."

Wen Shui breathed a sigh of relief: "Haha, but, maybe that really is the case."

"Okay, let's not talk about that anymore. The bus is here, let's go."

"Huh? But weren't you taking a different route?"

"No, you all went out together, and I came out all alone. I have to make up for it."

What kind of strange idea is this?

He had no choice but to take the bus with Hime-kyo to the stop near his home. Now that they were there, Hime-kyo could simply take the bus home as usual to and from school. He figured he had made up for her lonely journey, so she should be satisfied now.

"That's settled then, see you tomorrow."

As Wen Shui thought this, he said goodbye as usual and turned to leave, but Ji Gong suddenly followed without saying a word, which startled him.

"Himeko?!"

"Hmm... I took Chaoyun home earlier. Now I'm a little worried about Wenshui's safety, so I'm planning to take you home too."

"what?"

Wen Shui's forehead was covered in question marks, and she looked at Himegami with a blank expression, like an arcane mage: "Himegami-kun, do you have a fever today?"

"No."

"Then I think you should be more worried about your own safety."

"Stop nagging, hurry up and let's go!"

"Hey! Don't push me! I... I'll leave, okay?"

After a five-minute silent journey, at the door of Wen Shui's house, someone shakily took out their house key.

He turned around and looked at Himegami Karen, who had followed him all the way to his doorstep, her face filled with a look of utter despair.

"That...that one."

Warm water tentatively opened its mouth.

"Ok?"

Himegami stared intently at the keychain in Wen Shui's hand and smiled.

"Haha, I've arrived home safely! Princess Himegami should be relieved now, right?"

Wen Shui said with a dry laugh.